Eden: A state of innocence or bliss
by AmIReallyTheOne
Summary: Not in this case. A new girl enters Kadic, and surprises the Lyoko Gang with her choice of friends. Will she go astray, or can Odd manage to turn her around?
1. New School

_**Okay people... First Lyoko story EVAH! Be patient with me, eh?**_

**_I supposed I need a Disclaimer._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko. _**

**_Good enough. Also. Use Eden without asking and I'll bite you._**

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-Eden POV- 

"Here's your room number, schedule, and map. Your classes start in two days, on Monday. I hope you enjoy being a student here at Kadic." The principal finished. I smiled, successfully covering up the fact that I hadn't really been paying attention. I took the papers from his hand, and left the office.

Down the hall I went, looking at room numbers and glancing every now and then at the small map as I walked. Finding my room, I opened to door, and happily realized that I had the place to myself. I kicked off my shoes, dropped my duffel bag on the bed, and flumped down beside it. After a few minutes, I heaved myself up and unpacked, then checked my watch. _Almost time for lunch. Nice timing._

Double-checking the route to the cafeteria on my map real quick, I pulled my blue tennis shoes back on, and checked my appearance in the mirror hanging on the wall. I then left the room, and headed for food.

-Ulrich POV-

I walked out of the lunch line, and headed towards the table where Odd, Jeremie, and Aelita were already seated. I took a seat, and glanced around the large room full of people as I ate.

"Hey Ulrich, where's Yumi?" Odd asked me, a mocking look in his eyes.

"Her parents had to go out, and took her and Hiroki with them." I replied, ignoring his teasing. I'd save my energy for hitting him later, when he deserved it more.

"Ah, I s- hey, who's that?" The other three of us looked up to see who Odd was talking about. I girl with auburn-colored hair pulled up into a ponytail had just entered the cafeteria. She wore a tight gray tank top, dark jeans, and gray-blue tennis shoes. By the way she walked and her slim, slightly muscular body, anyone could tell that she was into sports. She was pretty good looking, but I shrugged it off. I prefer Yumi.

"Some new girl, obviously." Jeremie stated. "Not like it's anything out of the ordinary. But then again, Odd isn't exactly the brightest being around here, is he?" Everyone laughed, even Odd. After a few seconds however, Odd went back to staring.

-Odd POV-

I watched the new girl go through the lunch line and sit alone at a table a few down from us. I shoveled the rest of my food into my mouth, then dumped my tray. I walked towards the table where the girl was seated, and took a seat across from her. She glanced up at me, then crossed her arms and rested them on the edge of the table.

"Can I help you?" Her voice was a bit cold, but I ignored it.

"Hi. I'm Odd." I said, and stuck my hand over the table. She looked me up and down for a second.

"That you are." I burst out laughing at her remark, and the girl regarded me as if I was from another planet.

"No, that's my name. It describes me good though."

"Well." I raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?"

"It describes you 'well'. Not good." She informed me. I shrugged my shoulders. Not like I would remember.

"That, too. What about you?" She looked up at me again, but this time our eyes met. I had to stop myself from gasping. Her eyes were a deep, slightly greenish blue, and the edges of the color were dark, almost black. I got caught in those eyes, almost losing myself as I stared at the hypnotic coloring.

"My name is Eden."

"Hey, isn't that a color?" She exhaled, and her expression said that she was doing everything she could not to smack herself on the forehead.

"Yeeahhhh. Saw my eyes, didn't you?" She said this with a slow nod, looking at me as if I were an idiot.

Oh, wait… heh.

-Eden POV-

"Well, it was nice meeting you Eden." I watched as the boy, Odd, got up and strolled away. Dressed all in purple from head to foot, with a giant spike for a hairdo, he certainly was a character. _Odd indeed._

* * *

After lunch I went up to my room and laid down on my bed again. I must've fallen asleep, because I opened my eyes and found myself facedown in my pillow. With a yawn I managed to sit up, and look at the clock. I still had an hour until dinner, so I dug in my unpacked knapsack and brought out my book. I read for awhile, but ended up finishing the story sooner than I thought I would. I sat and daydreamed until it was time to go to dinner, images of elves, wizards, and fantastical creatures running through my head. 

Once I had food, I sat at the same table I had earlier. After a few minutes, a girl with long, dark hair came up to me, followed by a couple of nerdy looking guys.

"What are you doing? This is _our_ table." she snapped. With a slight smirk, I stood up, and found myself eye-to-eye with the girl.

"Eating, obviously. Your table, you say?" I paused, and sized her up for a second. "I don't think so." I took my seat again, and continued eating. She huffed, and sat down with a pout.

"Now, let's be civilized, shall we? I'm Eden."

"Who do you think you are, trying to take over my table! Huh!" She retorted. I sighed. So much for being nice. Then again, that's never really worked that well for me anyway.

"I already told you. My name is Eden. I'm a new student here. And I like sitting here, so I'm going to. You are?" I said this calmly. There's a time for having fun and making enemies. This, unfortunately, isn't it.

"My name's Sissi. My father is the principal here, so you had better be nice to me!" Her grumpy tone almost made me laugh. But just almost.

"Well, Sissi, I'll bet that you and I can get along just fine. As long as your name doesn't reflect your personality." I smiled sweetly at her, and she pretended to brush it off, but not before I managed to see the hate in her eyes.

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**_Review please!_**


	2. Fencing

**_Mm. Chapter two. I like this one. _**

**_Note: I have no definite knowledge on what happens in a gym class at Kadic. But I like how I have it. Flame me if you want. Maybe it'll help. _**

**_Enjoy._**

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-Eden POV- 

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

I reached over and hit the top of my alarm clock. _Mmm. 5:30 is way too early to be waking up. _I rolled myself out of bed and managed to get my feet under me before I hit the floor, and landed in a crouched position. I stood up with a yawn and stretch, and grabbed my towel and shower things. I made my way to the showers and back by 6. Since I hadn't taken clothes with me, I reached into the wardrobe and pulled out a light blue t-shirt, jeans, and the same tennis shoes I had worn on Saturday. Resisting the urge to try and squeeze in more sleep, I pulled a gray sweatshirt over my head, brushed my hair back into a ponytail, applied a small amount of makeup, and left the room. Walking down the hall, I decided to explore the grounds and get some fresh air. I wandered for about 15 minutes, and came across the soccer field. I was surprised to see a green-clad figure sitting in the middle of it. Temptation to go and talk to him gripped me, but I fought it. Not sure why, but I did.

After walking for another half hour, I made my way towards the cafeteria. I found that I wasn't really hungry, and took a seat at the table that I had claimed. As I sat, I went over the weekend in my head. Saturday had been my first day here, and was pretty darn boring. Well, messing with Sissi had been fun. But on Sunday morning, I had talked to her some more, and she was actually okay. I hadn't gone to lunch that day. Then at dinner we talked some more, and learned that we had several classes together. At least I would know someone.

I saw Sissi walk through the doors, and go, surprisingly, to the table where Odd was sitting. She walked to stand behind another boy at that table. From what I could see, he had brown hair and was wearing a green shirt. I watched as she leaned over his shoulder and flipped her hair, hitting him lightly in the face. If I listened carefully, I could hear what was being said.

"Hi, dear. Why don't you ditch these losers and come eat with me?"

"Um, because they, unlike you, are my friends. Now, please, leave me alone." he said this somewhat quietly, but it still had a nice effect.

"Bye bye now!" Odd added, and I had to stifle laughter as I watched Sissi storm angrily away from their table, and out of the cafeteria. I mean, sure, Sissi and I had made peace. But that doesn't mean it wasn't entertaining.

I noticed Odd glance in my direction. Luckily, I had myself under control by then. I can't have myself seen laughing. Especially not at _his _jokes. No way.

-Odd POV-

Once Sissi had left, I gave Ulrich a high five, and continued to laugh at our latest comebacks. Somewhere in there I looked towards Sissi's usual table, and spotted Eden. _Why in the world has she chosen to befriend Sissi, of all people? Why not someone nicer? Like us._

When I voiced these thoughts, I didn't really get much response.

"No idea, Odd. But why do you care so much?" Ulrich asked. I shrugged. Truthfully? I didn't know either.

* * *

-Eden POV- 

I went through my morning classes easily. I discovered that not only was Sissi in all of my classes, but Odd was in a couple as well. Lunch was uneventful; Sissi sat and ate, talking to me about the hot guys at Kadic, while Herb and Nicholas, the nerds who followed her everywhere, listened and glowered.

Eventually, I got to my favorite class, the one that I had been waiting for. PE. I was happy to finally reach it, and even happier to learn that we would be doing track work. For twenty minutes, we had to walk the curves and sprint the straits. Afterwards, Jim claimed he had a "treat" for us. Half of the class groaned when they saw what he had planned. Several others grinned, including Odd and his brown-haired friend. I managed to keep my excitement mostly hidden, but I couldn't help but smile a little. If there was one way to make a name for myself at a new school… this was it.

"Quit whining and get over here." Jim ordered, indicating a several containers of equipment. I walked forward and handled several pieces, before finally settling on one. I slipped on a pair of gloves and grabbed a mask, then stood with the rest of the class. I had chosen not to wear a uniform, but some people had. Once everyone was done with their choices, Jim gave us our directions.

"Fencing," he stated. "You all had the unit last week. Time for practice. Pair up, get going." He walked over to me, and asked me if I knew anything about fencing. I just smiled and told him that I understood the basic idea. _I understand more than you could ever teach me, that's for sure. _By watching the students and feeling the weight of my sword, I could tell that this was Epee, or freestyle, fencing. Not my favorite, but it works. Jim stuck me with the only other partner-less person, a boy I didn't yet know.

After about seven minutes of fencing, I scored my fifteenth point, and won the bout. I understood why this boy had no partner; he wasn't all that skilled in fencing, and was rather uncoordinated. I surveyed the other students for a minute, and immediately found the best fencer out of the group. They were easy to spot. They struck quickly, attack after attack -unusual in Epee fencing- and defeated their opponent within minutes. Because of the mask and white fencer's uniform, I didn't know who he or she was, but I planned to find out.

The person stood, the blunt tip of the sword rested on their foot. I stepped over to them, and bowed slightly. I raised my sword in a challenge, and they accepted with a small bow of their own. I had to use opposition thrusts to avoid a double touch, where both fencers score at the same time. After many lunges, parries, and feints, we were tied, fourteen to fourteen. One more point to win. Several more minutes of engagement, and I grinned to myself as I found an opening. Feinting a lunge to the left, I drove the point of my sword to the right, and struck my opponents shoulder. The weapon in their hand was immediately lowered, a sign of accepting defeat. I bowed a little, a gesture that was returned to me again. I then switched my blade to my left hand, removed my mask, and tucked it under my left arm. The person I had struggled with for at least twenty minutes did the same.

A boy with brown hair looked me over, and smiled. It was Odd's friend. The one who Sissi had been hanging all over. I held out my hand, and he took it.

"I'm Ulrich." He said politely.

"Eden." I returned. After we shook hands, I turned and realized that everyone was staring at me, mouths hanging open. Even Jim. "Um…something wrong with them?"

"Oh…Well…You see…No one has ever beaten me before." He replied, his cheeks slightly pink.

"Psh. They're just going to have to get used to it." As I finished this statement, the bell rang. I put my equipment away, and walked towards the locker room. I smirked as I felt many pairs of eyes watch my every move. _Hm… I probably made more than just a name for myself. But oh well. I don't mind_ _being well known._

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**_I'll be happy with you if you review. Please do._**


	3. Peter Pan

**_Ugh. I know it took a long time. Deal with it._**

**_I don't like this one. It starts to suck in the middle, and goes downhill from there._**

**_This chapter is dedicated to Bighoggi14, because he rocks. The end. Sorry you got such a bad chapter._**

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-Eden POV-

The buzz around Kadic was tremendous. Word of Ulrich's fencing defeat was spread after P.E. and during dinner. By the next day, basically everyone in my grade knew who I was. _Mm… It's nice to be known again. Convenient that Jim picked fencing. Quick and easy leap towards the top._

I welcomed the feeling of being known, of being popular again. Inside, I was happy. Inside, I grinned. Outside, I strutted and smirked. Excitement will never be seen on my face, or heard in my voice. Cool, casual, content and calm sarcasm. Those could be expressed. They were allowed. Laughs, giggles… rarely heard. Chuckles, occasional. Tears? Never seen. Not from me. If a tear ran down my face, it would be in privacy, and I would sulk silently for a while afterwards. Strength. Emotional and physical. I strived constantly for strength, and would settle for nothing less.

* * *

-Odd POV-

People wouldn't shut up about the whole fencing thing.

_So she beat Ulrich. Big deal. Maybe he was just tired. Maybe he was having an off day._

_Okay, okay. She's good._

_And fine! _Maybe_ I find her okay looking. _

_ALRIGHT! I think she's hott! I mean, that was awesome. That was some nice footwork, and good fencing. And she's a _girl. _..Since when are girls extreme fencers?_

…_what the hell am I doing? Shut up, stupid th-_

"OW! What the heck?" The gang laughed as Ulrich lowered his fist.

"Thanks for coming back to Earth, Odd." Yumi commented. I glared at Ulrich for hitting me and turned to Yumi.

"No problem." Yumi rolled her eyes at this, and I just grinned.

"Hey guys. Wanna head out to the bench?" Ulrich asked.

"I think I'm going to work on Aelita's anti-virus before class starts." Jeremie stated, and stood up.

"I'll go with you, Jeremie." Aelita said, and they left the cafeteria together. The rest of us went and sat down, talking about whatever came to mind. After a few minutes, I was surprised to see Eden walking in our direction.

  
-Ulrich POV-

I saw Odd jump up and walk a few steps away from us. I looked around and laughed as I realized that Eden was about to walk past.

_Don't blow it, Odd._

"Hey Eden. Going my way?" Odd asked. He had stationed himself to make it look as if he was walking the same way she was, several feet ahead. Eden stopped and looked at him, her hands resting in her sweatshirt pocket.

"That depends." There was a slight, mischievous smirk on her face as she replied. _Oh boy…_

"On what?"

"If you're going to realize that I don't reciprocate the lust you have for me when we reach our destination or not." Odd blinked a couple of times at this. His expression was priceless, but I managed to hold my laughter in.

"Um…I only got, like, half of that. The rest of the words were too big." At this, Yumi and I burst out laughing. Odd glared at us, but at the moment, he couldn't really do much.

"Work it out and get back to me then, Odd. Later all." And with that, Eden continued on, eventually getting out of sight.

"Smooth, Odd. Real smooth." Yumi commented. Odd, once again, just glared.

"I'm too busy trying to figure out what she said to think of a comeback." I laughed at that, too, and received a punch on the arm.

* * *

-Eden POV-

Classes were boring. Science was a breeze. Math assignments were easy. Grammar work was barbarically simple.

The halls were more interesting than my classes. In the halls, people chattered loudly. A few switched to hushed conversations with a glance or two in my direction if I walked by.

_Wow...one fencing match, and they go mad. It's just too easy._

Once again, lunch. The most interesting time of day. I decided that instead of being bored by Sissi's talking about Ulrich, I would go and sit with the people she so often complained about.

After getting food, I walked over to their table. Face expressionless, I slid my tray next to that of a girl with pink hair, and looked at the group.

"Mind?"

"Of course not." That, of course, came from Odd.

"Nope." Responded a girl dressed in black. Yumi, Sissi had said.

"Mm." This came from a boy in a blue sweater and glasses. His eyes were glued to a laptop.

I took a seat, and turned to the girl next to me as she said something.

"Hi. I'm Aelita."

"Eden. But with the way things are around here, you probably know that already."

"Yup. Name's Yumi, by the way." Added the girl clad in black.

"So I've heard." My response was colder than intended, but I didn't correct it. Instead, I turned to Ulrich and nodded in greeting.

"Ulrich."

"Hey." He responded, and went back to saving his food from Odd. I glanced at the boy with the laptop and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh. That's Jeremie." Aelita told me. I opened my mouth to reply and was interrupted by a certain spiky-headed person.

"No. That's Einstein." Jeremie shook his head slightly at this, but didn't look up.

"Whatever you say, Spiky." I intoned.

"Hey!"

"Hm? Have a problem with your nickname?"

"Well...I suppose you can use it, but only if-" **_Odd_** finished the sentence, and Yumi hit him. Ulrich cracked up.

I just blinked.

  
-Yumi POV-

I hit Odd for his stupidity. It's no wonder he doesn't have a girlfriend, doing things like that.

Odd and Ulrich went on laughing, leaning against each other so they wouldn't fall over.

"Honestly, could you two be more immature?" Jeremie asked.

"I could if I tried!" Odd announced between laughs.

"Hey guys? That wasn't funny." I stated.

"I don't get it..." Aelita said in a puzzled voice.

"You don't _want _to get it." I told her.

Eden was sitting there, blinking. I think she was amazed at Odd's idiocy.

  
-Eden POV-

" -_vous pouvez voler, vous pouvez voler , vous pouvez voler!"_ Odd sang the end of his sentence for a second time, and he and Ulrich once again burst into laughter.

"Odd?"

"Yes, Wendy?" He asked me with a laugh.

"One, singing 'You Can Fly!' isn't funny, even in French. Two, I'm not going to be called by the name of a fictional Disney character. Do it again, and I'll take this knife and shove it down your throat." That was a really lame comeback, but he didn't deserve a better one.

"Is that a threat, Wendy?"

"No, Tinkerbell. That's a promise. You have three seconds. Run." I said this and picked up my plastic knife.

"Later guys!" Odd called over his shoulder as he got up and left the cafeteria at a run.

I followed at a quick walk, while the others sat and laughed.

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**_Told you it sucks. And yes, Eden is full of herself. Once again, deal with it._**

**_Review please. Flames accepted._**


	4. Night Meeting

**_Sorry it has been so long. I'm a slacker. _**

**_This one is a bit out there. I know it strays a little from the Code Lyoko style, but bear with me._**

**_Dedicated to... um... well, no one. Sad._**

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-Eden POV-

Math class. I yawned. The teacher droned on and on, something about graphing.

"Now who would like to come up and do this problem on the board for us?" He consulted his seating chart. "Oh yes. Ms. Legard. Why don't you give it a shot?" I stood, and bored and annoyed look on my face. I glanced at the function as I walked to the board. _Psh. Am I supposed to be just learning this stuff? I already know it. _I quickly drew a graph of the equation, capped the marker, and went back to my seat.

"Well…very good. You learn quickly." I rolled my eyes at his comment. _Learn quickly. Please. I learned this at least a year ago. _I noticed Odd and Ulrich shaking their heads at me. I looked at them and shrugged, as if to say , 'What? I can't help it.'

* * *

Over the past few days, I had become a bit closer to Odd and Ulrich. I haven't had much of a chance to get to know Jeremie, Aelita seemed a bit -strange- sometimes, and Yumi…well…we don't match too well. It's not that we dislike each other or anything. We're nice enough. We just don't really mesh.

I've still been sitting with Sissi at lunch, however. We went around town a for awhile after school one day, and spent some time with a few others. All in all, she's decent around me. A jerk around Odd and his posse, but honestly, I don't mind. It may be snobbish, but as long as things are good for me, I don't care much about the actions of others.

The bell rang._ Ah, finally. No more school. For the weekend, at least. _I heard several beeps and turned to see both Odd and Ulrich look at their phones, then at each other. I watched as they ran out of the room, side by side. I felt myself cock an eyebrow. _That was interesting…_ For a moment, I thought of following them. But it quickly passed, and I dismissed the idea.

I walked out of the classroom and made my way to my dorm. I stuck the key in the lock and opened the door. Almost immediately, I noticed something different. There was a slip of paper resting on my bed. I dumped my school things on the floor and picked up the note. My eyes widened slightly as I read.

_**Eden -**_

_**We have what you've been wanting. Tonight at 11, meet us at the front gates. Let no one see you, and mention this to no one. **_

_**-EFU**_

Under the carefully printed note was another message, written quickly.

_Eden, love! You're sorely missed. Keep practicing. We'll be waiting for you to come back and kick our butts again. And **I'll** be waiting for my throwing partner to come back. The targets just aren't the same without you showing off. Much affection, TOAOE_

I smiled. Actually smiled. They couldn't be called friends. In the world they grew up in, the only person you could call 'friend' was your designation. But I was happy nonetheless. The EFU were the ones I was raised with. Toaoe was the closest thing I had to a friend in my parents' world. The world they forced me into.

* * *

I checked my watch. 10:45. I decided to head towards the gates. I could take more care getting there with the extra time.

Sticking my ear to the door, I listened for noises in the hall. No Jim. No girls. No one.

I snuck down the hall, and started out to the grounds. As I reached out a hand to open a door leading outside, I felt one set of fingers clamp my shoulder and another slip over my mouth. I turned, slowly, to face my captor. I glared, and tore his hand from my lips.

"Odd! What are you doing? You planning on getting us caught?" I whispered furiously at him. He shook his head, a grin on his face.

"Nope! But I'm going wherever you are." I sighed and glanced at my wrist again. 10:56.

"No way. Listen, stay here, don't follow me. I'll be back." I pressed a small metal object in to his hand. "Room 137. Wait for me there. Touch anything, I'll kill you." With that, I moved out into the cool night air.

I stood, out of sight of the gates, my ears listening for any unusual sounds.

A minute later came the noise I was waiting for.

Gracefully, I crept through the shadows to the sleek black car waiting for me. A tall figure slipped towards me from the other side of the car.

"Greetings." The person said formally. I automatically grinned.

"Toe-y!!!" I gave him a hug, but it was only acknowledged. Not returned. 'Toe-y, this is a different place. It's okay to hug here."

"Don't call me that! It's Toaoe. And I don'-"

"I'm calling you Toe-y, always have, always will. And I don't care what you think or what They say. I want a hug." Around him, I was my own opposite. Hyper, bouncy, fun, caring. My actions around him were discouraged by Them, but I could care less. He changed my thinking, and let me act like a kid, something I couldn't do when I was the proper age for it.

"Yes, I know. Now." He switched back to his formal self. His They self. "The EFU has done something very generous. I suggest you appreciate it with all you are." From the back of the car, he pulled a ventilated carrier, and set it on the pavement. I looked at it longingly. He shot me a warning glance, and knelt with a large box in his hands. I followed suit, as demanded by the custom I automatically lived with.

"A great gift has been bestowed upon you by the EFU members of your rank." He removed

a slim, cloth wrapped object from the box, and gently held it out to me. I carefully took it from him, and unwrapped the cloth. A gasp escaped me as I looked down at the gorgeous saber fencing sword. I grasped the hilt, and discovered that it fit my hand beautifully. The weight was perfect. I looked up at Toaoe, and he smiled.

"There is also a gift from myself." Shock entered my eyes.

"Only designated ones give gifts." He bowed his head. _He_ was my designation? The closest thing I had ever had to a friend was the person my parents had chosen to be…I sighed. He looked up sheepishly and nodded.

"We will one day fight, side by side. Please accept my gift." He held out a second bundle to me. My eyes went wide.

Daggers. Three of them. Gorgeously crafted throwing knives in equally gorgeous sheaths. Blades thin enough to fit between ribs, strong enough to pierce leather.

I smiled again.

"Thank you. Please send my thanks to the EFU as well." He nodded and stood. I reached for the carrier, and this time, he didn't stop me.

"Live well, Eden. Keep us in your mind." I bowed my head to him, a prolonged nod. I then turned around, and walked back to Kadic, my hands full of the treasures given to me.

* * *

**_Toaoe (Tah-oh-ay) _**

**_It's an abbreviation, as you'll learn later._**

**_Like I said, I know it's weird. Please just go with it. _**

**_I know there aren't that many people who read my writings, but if 10 people read and I get at least 3 reviews in the next two days, I'll update. To reword that, reviews updating sooner. I swear. _**

**_Flames accepted._**


	5. Half Explanation

**_Wahoo! Four reviews on last chapter, ten total. Not much, but more than usual. _**

**_The beginning of this chappy is the last chapter from Odd's POV. Don't shoot me:P _**

**_It has new stuff too, though. I promise._**

**_Chapter dedicated to Eclipse (moon eclipse shadows) and MOPA (MOPITA ITA DE LA SOPITA) because they both reviewed the last chapter and added this story to their alert list! yay!_**

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-Odd POV- 

Ulrich and I got texts from Jeremie as the bell rang, and ran off to kick some XANA butt. Two crabs and three blocks later, the tower was deactivated and we came back to the real world.

I stretched across my bed, head hanging off the edge.

"I'm bored." I told Ulrich. He sighed.

"Yeah, me too. Wonder what Yumi is up to…" I laughed, and he looked at me. "What?"

"Just ask her out already." He blanched a little, and I laughed more. He threw a pillow at me.

"Okay, whatever. I'm going to go find Einstein and Aelita, see what's up with them." I righted myself and stood up. "Later." I wandered down the hall and knocked on Jeremie's door.

"Come in." I opened to door to see Jeremie at his computer, Aelita looking over his shoulder.

"Hi Odd."

"Hey Aelita. How's it going, Einstein?" I asked, moving closer to the computer chair.

"It's going." He told me distractedly. I sighed. That didn't last long.

"I'm bored again. Bye guys." I left Jeremie's room, and ended up wandering the halls and talking to random people for awhile, before going back to my dorm and just hanging out. After an hour or so I fell into a light sleep.

* * *

I woke up and yawned. _What time is it? _I glanced at Ulrich's alarm clock. About ten minutes before 11. I got out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. Passing the stairs, I noticed someone creep by the bottom. Someone whose figure looked rather familiar. _Why is Eden sneaking around this late?_

I crept down the stairs , and walked about ten feet, right up behind Eden. I grabbed her shoulder and slipped my hand over her mouth. She turned around, glaring at me.

"Odd! What are you doing? You planning on getting us caught?" There was anger in her voice, but it was still quiet. I shook my head. For some reason, this was funny.

"Nope! But I'm going wherever you are." I replied. She checked her watch.

"No way. Listen, stay here, don't follow me. I'll be back." She pushed a key into my hand. "Room 137. Wait for me there. Touch anything, I'll kill you." Eden then went outside. I was tempted to follow her, but I didn't. Instead, I carried out my original plan of going to the bathroom, then went to her room.

A bed with a blue-gray comforter and silver pillows sat to my left. At the end of the bed, against the right wall, was a wardrobe, like most dorms at Kadic had. On her bedside table sat two things: A clock and a book. Her backpack was beside the wardrobe. I sat on her bed, and picked up the book. I wasn't much for reading. But I opened the book and read a little anyway.

* * *

The door opened, and I sat up. I had been laying on her bed, basically spacing out. Eden entered the room, bundles of cloth in one arm and what looked like a pet carrier in the other hand. _Where did those come from? _

-Eden POV-

Odd was laying on my bed when I got back to my room. I raised an eyebrow at him and sat the carrier carefully on the floor. He opened his mouth to question me, and I shushed him. I went to my wardrobe and pulled out two bowls, a small bag, and a water bottle. I poured the contents of the bag into one bowl, and the water into the other. Odd watched me the whole time, but said nothing.

I opened the carrier. After a moment, a small, orange ball of fur came cautiously out of the carrier. I picked him up and gave him a small squeeze, then set him down by the food and water.

"A cat?" Odd asked me, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"A kitten." I corrected with a smirk. "His name is Tigger."

"Pets are against the rules, you know." He stated.

"Doesn't stop you, does it?" I asked him. His eyes widened.

"How'd you know about Kiwi?"

"Magic." I then picked my beautiful new weapons up off the floor. "Listen. You never saw these, you know nothing about them. And no, I'm not going to tell you where they came from." I put both bundles on the bed, then unwrapped my sword. Odd's eyes went wide again.

"Okay. I can't ask where?" I shook my head. "I can't ask who?" I shook my head again. "What about why?" I sighed.

"I suppose." I said. "Well, you should know that I'm a fencer."

"Duh. After that day in gym, who doesn't?"

"To keep it simple, this is so I can practice and keep myself in shape." He nodded.

"What about other swordsmanship-ness?" I almost laughed.

"Nice word. What about it?" I asked.

"Are you any good with other swords? Like katanas or something?" I shook my head a third time.

"I can use them, but not nearly as well as fencing swords. They're heavier, and I can't maneuver them as easily." I told him. I had tried other swords in the past. I could do it, but not well.

"Makes sense. What's that?" He pointed to my other bundle. I smiled slightly. I pulled out one of the daggers.

"My favorite form of protection." I unsheathed the blade. The steel was perfect steel with a bluish tint , and the hilt was plain silver. The sphere of the pommel was decorated with an eye that had a cat's pupil. Odd reached out carefully, then looked up at me. I stared him in the eye for a moment. Then nodded slightly, and handed the dagger to him, hilt-first.

He took it carefully.

"Can I ask why again?"

"Throwing daggers. I have been practicing throwing since I was eight, two years less than fencing. I favor throwing, and am more skilled at it than fencing." He looked up at me from tracing the eye with his finger.

"What's the eye for?" I was glad to see that he found the dagger something worth asking about.

"My own signature marking, I suppose you could call it."

Odd handed the weapon back to me. He hesitated, then stood up. I did as well. We stood looking eye-to-eye for a moment. He shook his head.

"You've only been here for a a few days, but I'm already confused by you." I chuckled. He left the room, but turned as he was leaving.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side." He closed the door, and I laughed. _He really is odd. But he's fun._

* * *

**_Hee hee. Review, Please! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update. Proved it with posting this chapter, didn't I? It's only been three days. _**

**_I have the next four chapters basically planned out. BUT! I need an opinion. Approximately what chapter should Eden learn about Lyoko? I want her to learn about it in one chapter, and go at the end of that chapter. And then fight the next. So, it's a poll! When should Eden learn about Lyoko? Tell me in a review! Anyone who gives their opinion gets a surprise! Serious! (If you give an opinion, please tell me whether or not you celebrate a holiday this time of year christmas, hannakuh, kwanzaa, etc. it goes with the surprise. :P)_**

**_Flames accepted._**


	6. Odd Situation

**_I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!!!_**

**_I know, it's been months and you probably all hate me. This chapter has been in the making forever though, I just couldn't get it right. But I sat down yesterday, and wrote and wrote until 1 AM. Then I got up this morning and edited, now I'm posting!_**

**_I hope you like it! I really like the second part from Odd's POV. hee hee._**

**_Oh, and in case you have't figured it out: _**story _thoughts _"speech"

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-Odd POV- 

I left Eden's room, thinking. Something I don't do very much.

_She comes back to her room, with a cat and new weapons. Weird combination. But who would give her that sword and those daggers? They must be worth a good amount. So who cares enough to spend that money on her, all at one time? A relative, maybe. And why the cat? Er, kitten. I mean, I have Kiwi, I know how it is to have a pet and want them with you. But how does he fit in, and why bring him with weapons? I know Eden said she wants them to train with. But come on! Who brings daggers into a school? And who would use those expensive blades for practice?_

I sighed. _She really does confuse me, and she's someone I hardly know. I met her, what, a week ago? Things could get really odd around here…No pun intended. Heh._

-Eden POV- 

Saturday. I got out of bed and donned a pair of old jeans and my gray sweatshirt. I reached my arm to the back of my wardrobe and grabbed my two old practice daggers. I rolled up my sleeves and secured the armbands around my forearms. I slipped a dagger into each specially designed strap and pulled my sleeves back down, covering them.

I had noticed a small forest around here. Trees make good targets.

-Ulrich POV-

I heard a knock on my dorm room door and got off my bed, slowly. I opened the door, expecting to see Odd, thinking he forgot his key or something.

"Eden?" I raised an eyebrow. This was random.

"Yeah, hi." She gave me a quick, half-smile of a greeting. "Where's Odd?" _She's looking for Odd? Now **that's** weird. _

"Where he always is, being a human garbage disposal." Eden smirked.

"Okay, well, thanks. Just to be nice, I'll keep Sissi off your back tomorrow. Show my appreciation." I shook my head at her, and she left with a laugh. I closed the door, and went back to thinking.

_Hm. She's joking around more now. Time with us is doing her good, I think. Time with Odd, at least. _

-Odd POV-

I knew Eden was there before I saw her. Well, kind of. People looked up to see who had walked in, and when some heads stayed up, I figured it was either her or Sissi. And there was no loud, obnoxious bragging, so I was pretty sure Sissi wasn't around.

Footsteps stopped behind my chair, and I didn't even look before talking.

"Hi Eden!" I could tell she was rolling her eyes, even though I couldn't see her.

"Hi Odd. Done eating? Yes? Good. Let's go." She grabbed my arm and pulled me from my chair, then dragged me away from my food and outside.

"Hey! I was eating that! I wasn't done! It was actually half-edible!" Eden ignored my protests and kept pulling. _Since when is she buff? I may be small, but I'm no weakling. Gah! _

"Will you at least tell where we're going?" I asked.

"When we get there."

"That helps."

"Yup. I know." My eyes widened playfully.

"A joke! A sarcastic remark that was semi-laughable! It's a miracle!" She rolled her eyes at me again, and I grinned.

"Are we there yet?" I was rewarded with a glare, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, Odd, see these?" Eden's sleeve slid up her arm about 5 inches, and I could see the tip of a blade. "They hurt if I want them to. Will you shut up now?" My mouth hung open for a second, and I snapped it closed.

"Shutting up."

"Finally." Of course, she smirked.

* * *

My jaw dropped, _again, _when Eden's blade flew and struck the center of the chalked bulls eye. She had hauled me out to the park, where she picked a tree and pulled a piece of chalk out of her pocket. For the past ten minutes, she had been throwing her knives and hitting dead center almost every time.

"So, is this a threat, or are you just trying to make me like you?" I asked, and she snorted.

"This, Odd, is proof that I have these daggers for a reason, not because I'm eager to be expelled." I couldn't help but laugh at that one. "And it's not a threat. It's a warning." She grinned.

Eden actually smiled!

I grinned back.

-Yumi POV-

I walked out of my house, planning to see what the gang was up to. And hoping that they weren't busy…hoping that Ulrich wasn't busy.

As I got closer to the school, I started hearing thuds, like someone hitting a punching bag. The more I walked, the louder they got. _What is that? It's driving me absolutely insane! _

When I was about to leave the trees behind, another thud came from my left. Only this time, I heard voices, too. _Wait a minute…that sounds like…._

A laugh rang out, and there was no mistaking it. _Yup. That's Odd._ I took a detour towards the laughter and looked around a tree. I was about to greet Odd, and I figured Ulrich as well, but instead of him I found Eden.

"Eden and Odd?" I whispered. _That's…well, odd._

I saw something flash by, and heard the thud again. I looked the direction the thing had flown in, and saw the handle of a dagger sticking out of a tree. I watched as Odd pulled the blade from the bark, then threw the knife, pretty hard, at Eden. I gasped as Eden spun and caught the dagger's hilt. She didn't finish the turn by facing the tree, but instead stopped looking in my direction. I froze.

"What's up?" Odd asked her.

"I thought I heard something…or someone." She shook her head and turned away, and I exhaled quietly with relief. _Phew. I thought she had me for a second…_ Eden turned again and lunged. I was just starting to run when her fingers closed around my wrist.

"Hi Yumi." Her eyes were…not cold, but…like stone. I smiled weakly.

"Hey guys."

* * *

**_Bwa ha ha! ha...ha? Was that a cliffy? I'm not sure if it was or not. Is it a good cliffy? Do you hate me? _**

**_Anyway. I know it seems short, but it's two and a half pages of ten point font on Microsoft Works..._**

**_Please, I am begging you, review! You can even say you hate me because I didn't update for a long time, but please, review!_**

**_Flames accepted, as always. _**


	7. Author's Note

**_Okay.  
_****_It's been a year.  
_****_I realize this._**

**_I'm very, very sorry. It was a long hiatus, as I was traveling a lot last year. Now, the end of my Junior year approaches, and I'm studying for the SATs and trying hard not to fail Calculus._**

**_However, I've decided to come out of my hiatus, to finish this story. Family or Foe may take a while for me to get going again, but I will work towards that as well._**

**_Thank you for being patient with me, I will update soon, and as often as I can._**

**_-AMIR_**


	8. Encounter with Yumi

_**See? I told you I'd update ASAP.  
I haven't started Chapter 8 yet, but that's because I found out about an hour ago that my Grandma died earlier this evening. Because of that, my mom and I will be busy doing things for the funeral and cleaning my Grandma's apartment. So it will be a few days before I can update again.  
My apologies.**_

**Anyway_, here it is. Chapter 7.  
Remember, anything in plain _**_italics - thoughts.  
**Enjoy.**  
_

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-Eden POV-

Odd pulled the dagger from the tree. I smirked as the blade slid out of the wood, and casually inspected my nails. My back was to Odd, but I could hear every movement. The blade against bark, the small grunt of effort as Odd threw the dagger, hard, at my back. The swish of the metal through the air. At the last second, I spun and caught the hilt, letting the momentum carry me back around.

Normally, the dagger would be in my hand for only a second, and then it would be in my target again. But not this time. I stopped halfway through my spin, and froze.

Odd looked at me curiously.

"What's up?" he asked. He was sorry the game had stopped; he was as amused by my throwing as I was. I could hear it in his voice.

"I thought I heard something…or someone." I said, shaking my head and turning to face the tree again. After a second though, I turned back to where I had just been, and lunged for the trees. I caught sight of a fleeing figure, and I managed to throw myself a bit further and catch them by the wrist.

"Hi Yumi." I kept my face expressionless, but from the look on she gave me, some of my anger managed to slip though.

"Hey guys." She smiled nervously.

"Hey Yumi!" Odd waved at her, smiling. He obviously missed the tension in the air.

-Yumi POV-

I'm not a weak person. I'm not easily scared, or intimidated. But the anger radiating from Eden was enough to make my insides go cold.

"I was just walking through, coming to see what everyone was up to, and I heard Odd. So I figured I'd come and say hi." I said it casually. There was no way I'd let _her_ know what was going through my head.

Eden's face remained expressionless, her blue-green eyes fixed steadily on my dark ones.

"My point isn't to be intimidating, threatening, or anything else," she stated, "but don't tell anyone about this." I was shocked to hear that her voice was somewhat pleading. She sighed deeply and added, "Please."

I nodded slowly, and she released my wrist.

"Hey! Hey Eden! Can we show her? Please?!" Odd asked eagerly.

Eden forced a smile. "Fine. But you're being too loud. It makes it too easy. And speed it up."

Odd laughed. "Okay. Quiet. Fast. Got it."

I raised an eyebrow. "You? Quiet? That's a laugh."

"HEY!"

Eden chuckled appreciatively, and I smiled. "Show me what?"

"You've heard of Catch and Shoot, right?" Eden asked me casually.

"Um…that's where someone shoots an arrow at someone else, then the person catches it and shoots an apple off of the first person's head, right?" She looked surprised at my response, but nodded.

"Yeah. Well, we changed it around a bit. And funnily enough, it helps us both out."

Odd went to stand next to the tree, and Eden raised an eyebrow at him. He nodded, and she moved to the middle of the clearing, standing with her side to Odd. With a flick of her wrist, a dagger appeared in her hand. I smiled, noticing the black bands around her forearms.

She threw the dagger at the tree, turning as she did so, and it struck the bull's eye perfectly in the center. Moving quickly, Odd pulled the blade from the tree and hurled it at Eden's back, which was now facing him. He stepped sideways in front of the tree as she caught the hilt of the throwing knife in her hand. I barely saw her catch it before it was flying through the air again, headed straight for Odd. He ducked at the last second, and the blade sunk deep into the trunk of the tree, right where his throat had been.

I swear, my jaw was on the ground and my eyes were popping out of my head. I had never seen such speed! Not even on Lyoko. Well, not counting Ulrich.

Odd laughed heartily as he stood again. "Man, that's so cool!" Eden was grinning, actually grinning. I was in awe, though slightly annoyed. She was so smug! I crossed my arms across my chest, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. Sure, it was cool. But she didn't need to be showing off. Odd turned to face me.

"Is that not AWESOME?!" He was still smiling. I laughed, not able to hold it in at the look of excitement on his face.

"Yes, Odd, it's pretty cool." I glanced at Eden, and saw that her eyes were cast downward, but a small smile was on her face. _Huh, weird. I never would have thought _her_, of all people… shy. Or maybe embarrassed?_

"Hey, you know what?! She'd be perfect for L-" I clapped a hand over his mouth. I swear, if looks could kill, he'd be so dead right now. Eden raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Um… I'm gonna head up to the school… You guys wanna come with me?" I asked. My hand was still covering Odd's mouth, and he reminded me of this by slobbering all over my hand.

"ODD! EW!!" He laughed triumphantly and danced out of my reach. "Seriously, you're dead. Eden, mind if I borrow one of those?" She laughed, shaking her head at us as Odd ducked behind a tree.

_Whoa. I made her laugh. Did that actually happen?_

"I want to stay here and have more fun!" Odd exclaimed, peeking out around the tree trunk. Eden shrugged.

"Guess I'll stay here with him then." She smiled again, this time meeting my eyes. I hesitantly returned it. I still wasn't sure if I liked her or not. Something about her just seemed… not right.

"Odd, try not to drive her insane," I joked. "See you later then."

I turned and started towards the school. Behind me, more laughter rang through the trees.

Except this time, the laughs didn't only belong to Odd.

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_**Well, what did you think? ****  
Please review and let me know. It's been so long since I've updated, I'll need lots of feedback to get going again.  
Haha.**_

_**Flames accepted.**_

-AMIR


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